Rotary spray arm for washing machines



March 11, 1952 J. LA RAUS ROTARY SPRAY ARM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed April 15, 1949 Patented Mar. 11, 1952 ROTARY SPRAY ARM FOR WASHING MACHINES Julius La Raus', Westport, Conn.

Application April 15, 1949, Serial No. 87,599

3 Claims.

This invention relates to spray means for clean ing machines and relates more particularly to a novel jet propelled, rotary spray which is useful particularly in a dish washing machine and which is provided with plural jets which are so disposed as to spray water on both top and bottom surfaces of the plates and other dishes which are arranged in generally vertical position in a ware basket within the washing chamber or tub.

In rotary sprays which are caused to turn by the reaction of the fluid issuing from the jets the streams all flow in one direction which is diagonal to a plane of rotation of the rotating unit. It is accordingly possible to clean only one surface of the dishes.

In accordance with the present invention the several jets are disposed at difierent angles so that certain of such jets spray forwardly of the rotating arm on which they are mounted and others spray rearwardly. If the angle of each set were disposed equally from the vertical no rotation would be imparted to the arm. Accordingly, one set is disposed at a greater angle rearwardly than the other is set forwardly so that rotation of approved speed is imparted to the spray arm. This speed is necessarily slower than would be the case if all the jets were rearwardly directed. This slower speed gives a far better cleaning action while having the advantage of cleaning both surfaces.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tub or cleaning chamber fitted with the jet propelled, rotary spray of the present invention, the view showing parts of the dish rack broken away.

Fig. 2 is a broken vertical section taken through the tub and showing an end elevation of the rotating spray arm.

The tub In for receiving the articles to be cleaned is shown as circular but it may be square. elongated or otherwise shaped. Substantially centrally of its lower wall I! a bushing I 2 is mounted and the fluid is supplied to the bushing through a conduit l3. A hub I4 is journalled on the bushing for rotative movement, such hub supporting a tubular spray arm l5 at the center of the latter, the arm having an opening (not shown) communicating with the hub to supply fluid to the arm. The arm is closed at its opposite ends.

The spray jets 16 are shown as being generally cylindrical in shape and having a small opening I! at their outer ends and a section N3 of reduced diameter at their inner ends which are suitably secured Within openings in the arms.

The angles at which the axes of these spray jets are set are important. The arm is arranged to rotate in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. The axes of the three jets to the right of the hub are shown as being disposed at an angle of about 30 rearwardly of a line perpendicular to a plane of rotation of the spray arm whereas those to the left of the hub are shown as being disposed at an angle of about 5 forwardly of such line.

The dishes 20 are mounted in a generally vertlcal position in a wire rack or basket 2|, the surfaces of the dishes being disposed generally radially of the axis of the spray arm. As the arm rotates the cleaning fluid is directed against both surfaces of the dishes as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 2 leading from the jets.

The respective angles which the two sets of jets are disposed from the vertical may vary considerably without departing from the spirit of the invention. The driving jet maybe inclined anywhere from 10 to 30 and the non-driving jets from 1 to 20. Much depends upon the type of articles to be cleaned and upon the position they occupy within the tub. After the position of the article has ben determined, the speed of rotation to get the best cleaning results may then be ascertained and the angle of the non-driving jets then determined to obtain this desired speed.

In the drawing all the driving jets are shown as being on one side of the axis and the nondriving jets on the opposite side. If desired, of course, the several jets may be arranged in alternate relation.

The spray arm is shown in the drawing as being on a vertical axis below the articles to be cleaned although it may be mounted above rather than below such articles and in some instances it may even be mounted on a horizontal axis to one side of the articles.

While one form or embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein for illustrative purposes, and the construction and arrangement incidental to a specific application thereof have been disclosed and discussed in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is limited neither to the more details or relative arrangement of parts, nor to its specific embodiment shown herein, but that extensive deviations from the illustrated form or embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the principles thereof.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a dish washing machine wherein dinner plates and the like are arranged in generally vertical position radially of said direction of rotation at a lesser angle from the vertical than the first mentioned angle, the first mentioned nozzles producing such rotation as the fluid issues therefrom and the latter nozzles tending to retard such rotation.

2. The combination with a dish washing machine wherein dinner plates and the like are arranged in generally vertical position radially about a central point, of rotary spray means arranged to deliver fluid upwardly to the front and back surfaces of such plates, such means comprising a fixed bushing provided with fluid supply means, a hub rotatably mounted on such bushingand a spray arm extending radially from the hub which is disposed substantially at the center of the arm, plural nozzles carried by the spray arm, certain of such nozzles being directed rearwardly'of the direction of rotation at an angle of about 30 from the vertical, the remaining nozzles being directed forwardly of said di rection of rotation at an angle of about 5 from the vertical, the first mentioned nozzles producing the rotation as the fluid issues therefrom and the latter nozzles tending to retard such rotation.

3. The combination with a dish washing machine wherein dinner plates and the like are arranged in generally vertical position radially about a center, of rotary spray means arranged to deliver fluid upwardly to the front and back surfaces of such plates, such means comprising a fixed bushing provided with fluid supply means, a hub rotatably mounted on such bushing and spray arms extending radially from the hub, plural nozzles carried by the spray arms, certain of such nozzles being directed rearwardly of the di rection of rotation at an angle of between 10 and 30 from the vertical, the remaining nozzles being directed forwardly of said direction of rotation at an angle of between 1 and 20 from the vertical but always being less than the first mentioned angle, the first mentioned nozzles producing the rotation as the fluid issues therefrom and the latter nozzles tending to retard such rotation.

JULIUS LA RAUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Austria May 25, 1936 

